Nishant counts the number of years he has been frequenting R.R’s Blue Mount. “Nine to 10 years!” exclaims the college student. Since he was in class 6, Nishant has been a fan of the one outstanding items here – Mexican Chaat. We soon find out, he isn’t alone. There are so many Nishants for whom these hole in the walls offer opportunities for rumination and lazy conversations over endless cups of chai.
When we get talking to Raju, the owner, who runs the shop with his wife Mini — we discover that Bollywood actor Anushka Sharma too has mentioned in a media interview how R.R.’s is among her favourite places in Bengaluru. Anushka was a student of Mount Carmel College, and R.R.’s continues to be a favourite among its students.
Mexican chaat at RR’s
“Mexican chaat isn’t exactly a chaat,” says Raju as he heats the item in the microwave. “It is a combination of nachos, cheese and baked beans.” When we taste it, we understand why it is so popular. It brings together Western and Indian flavours. Sounds like an exaggeration? For this item, you wouldn’t think so. It’s a terrific play of the spicy and crispy with a lot of cheese.
The range of unique items, though, doesn’t end with Mexican chaat. There are vegetarian and non-vegetarian ‘boats’, which are open pies made only on order.
There’s deltazz, which are pizzas, and was introduced by Raju at a time when pizzas were just about picking up in India. Then there are a varieties of cake and ice cream mixes, besides pastries and pastas.
“We introduced Mexican chaat in 2000,” explains Raju, adding that he and his wife wanted to make items that were different from other shops. When probed further about why he chose to introduce innovative food, Rajusays: “It was when I first started feeling hungry.” Mini, his wife, who makes these scrumptious snacks, says: “I love cooking and baking, so it isn’t a problem for me.” Raju has priced it at Rs. 50 and even then students complain about the pricing being little high.” Even though this street, termed Loafer’s Street by the students of Mount Carmel College, is essentially a student’s food hub, there are several others who frequent R.R.’s.
The charm of Loafer’s street
As you walk down, Loafer’s Street, you will find Kalkatta Chaats (priced between Rs. 30 and Rs. 70) and where parathas are more frequently ordered, though their chaats aren’t anything to write home about. A little ahead of R.R.’s, is Sara’s Hotel where students make a beeline for the Mexican fried rice. “Its really tasty at Sara’s. With the quantity of food, two or three people can comfortably eat and it’s easy on the pocket too,” explains Aishwarya D.J., a student of Mount Carmel.
Asha, a customer, vouches for their tava pulav. “I have been coming here for five years. I really like it.” Their phulkas and sabzis are also good, we learn.
We next head to Koramangala, where Jyoti Nivas College and Christ College are surrounded by small eateries. Near Christ College, there are a number of places, such as MeCaf, a multi-cuisine restaurant, Just Shawarma, Rolls on Wheels, and a whole host of roadside street food, including momos, juices and small tea shops, which offer quick bites, from Maggi to sandwiches.
The street around Jyoti Nivas College is a lot more orderly. There is Hole Lotta Love Café, which is always packed, especially during weekends. Not exactly cheap for a college goer but it has earned popularity amongst them due to its exhaustive menu comprising breakfast meals, desserts and milkshakes. Right below it, though, is Chaatwala, which may not be swanky, but has an appeal nonetheless for its tasty fare of North Indian food, where chaats, of course, are most sought after. Their masala tea is to die for and you would find yourself downing cups and cups of it.
Further ahead is Indian Coffee House, which offers every conceivable South Indian, North Indian and Indian-Chinese dishes. This air-conditioned restaurant has smartly-dressed liveried waiters swiftly serving customers, though the place comes across as one ideal for a quick meal and coffee.
At Café Nation, which opened recently, there are soufflés, frittatas, and desserts, which have items such as brownie chocolate pizza, served in the style of a pizza, with brownies, hot chocolate sauce, topped with ice cream. Then there is also the English breakfast, which comes in the price range of Rs. 140 and Rs. 200, and fried ice cream with red wine, which is ice cream within a covering of bread topped with wine.
Indian, continental, fast food — apart from these cuisines, there are Tibetan restaurants’ galore, such as Peace and Momo Hut, which are an affordable option as compared to the more expensive restaurants.
All for Tibetan
One is a tiny, cosy eatery, Khawa Karpo, one of the biggest hits amongst the students of Christ and Jyoti Nivas.
Davaa, who started the restaurant in 2009, single-handedly runs the place, darting from one table to another, pen and paper in hand, noting down orders. He takes intervals of five minutes in-between attending to customers, to tell us about the authentic Tibetan cuisine served here.
He opens the dog-eared menu that makes it evident the number of times it has been opened to be looked through by countless customers. There is a huge list. Off course the favourites are fried momos, thukpa and shabaklep, but there are also lhaping, which are is spicy, cold noodles; dry thukpa, which isn’t exactly dry but is steamed noodles with thick gravy on top; momo-thukpa, a combination of momo and noodles in a soup, and thein thuk, which is hand-made flat noodles that come in soup.
A puchka vendor here, a momo stall there, places where you can stop by any time to have your fill-that’s the charm of College eateries.
